Dear all,
Kris Descovich is hosting Susan Richmond (University of Edinburgh) for BERG tomorrow. Susan will be talking about: Assessing the Welfare of Extensively Managed Sheep.
Susan was one of our MSc students, so it will be great to welcome her back.
Prof Ian Peers, Head of statistics at AstraZeneca, who is now an Honorary fellow will also join us and give us a 5 minutes introduction to who he is, and what he might offer us in terms of advice. There may be opportunities to meet with him on Thursday if you wish.
We shall be going out for dinner after Susan’s talk to the Birds and Bees (we hope if they have a table).
http://www.thebirdsandthebees-stirling.com/#!food--drink/cfwi
I have Susan, me, Ian, Laura, Hayley, Sarah, Kris on list – let me know by 5pm today if you wish to join us so I can book a table.
Meeting in the Psychology common room, 3A94, 5.30pm, drinks and nibbles as usual.
Please do come!
Hannah
Still spaces for SPRG if you want to sign up follow instructions – see below
To sign up to the BERG mailing list new folk must complete the form available here:
http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg
You can also use this link to unsubscribe.
SPRG meeting
Dear SPRGers and BERGers
The time has come again for SPRG to plan their annual post-Christmas gathering at The Burn in Glenesk, Angus. For those of you who are new to SPRG, the meeting is a chance for all members to get together in the beautiful surroundings of The Burn, to discuss research that is going on within our group, and of course to walk, chat, play games, eat, drink, and be (very) merry. You can find more details about the venue on their website (http://www.goodenough.ac.uk/the-burn).
We can arrive from 4pm on Friday 16th – and leave 2pm on Sunday 18th January 2015
Lizzie Webber and I shall be organising the programme and day-to-day running of the meeting.
I am delighted to say we already have an excellent programme of speakers. We already have 9 confirmed speakers, on a range of species and topics, including Prof Phyllis Lee (Stirling), and Dr Lydia Hopper from the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study & Conservation of Apes in Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, and will present on her research with chimpanzees and gorillas.
There are still some spaces for speakers, and attendees, so please sign up following the instructions below.
Michelle Young, Andy Whiten’s wonderful PA in St. Andrews, will be keeping the spreadsheet.
To make our lives easier, please make sure you reply to the right person!
The costs of staying at The Burn are heavily subsidised by the Charitable Trust, and so remain very reasonable. The prices for this year are £150 for staff (those in full time employment, and who wish to have a single occupancy room – limited availability) and £120 for students, unwaged members, and/or those who share rooms. This price includes accommodation and all meals.
I have had to pay a considerable deposit (>£1000) in order to secure our booking. To avoid unnecessary bureaucracy this year, by signing up you are confirming that you will pay £60 should you cancel after 1st December 2014, and we are unable to fill your place.
To book your place at The Burn, please let Michelle Young - my22(a)st-andrews.ac.uk<mailto:my22@st-andrews.ac.uk> - know by email that you wish to join us.
Use the subject header: The SPRG Burn meeting
Give your name:
If you prefer a single room (noting additional cost, and no promises):
Dietary requirements:
This statement “I confirm that I will pay £60 should I be unable to attend and my place is not filled”.
Places are limited, so don't miss your chance. In the first instance, bookings are restricted to members and associates of SPRG. However, should places be left unclaimed from mid November onwards, invitations will be opened up to colleagues from further afield. Reply early to avoid disappointment.
As always, there will be a series of research talks given throughout the weekend. If you are interested in giving a talk, please let HANNAH (h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk>) know. The success of the weekend depends upon you!
If you have a non-SPRG colleague whom you know would like to come and give a talk please discuss with me – we usually have one or two external folk to spice things up!
I have an extremely busy diary, and would really appreciate your cooperation in making the organisation of the SPRG Burn weekend simple.
In summary
* If you wish to come, please send Michelle your name, whether single room, dietary requirements, and the loss of deposit statement.
* If you wish to present, please send Hannah your title. Timing will depend upon number of offers, and we can negotiate.
I shall follow up with more details nearer the time.
Best wishes, Hannah, Lizzie and Michelle
Dear all,
We have our very own Becky Leonardi tomorrow – talking about “Paws for Progress: The effectiveness of a prison based dog training programme on dog behaviour and welfare”
Meeting in the Psychology common room, 3A94, 5.30pm, drinks and nibbles as usual.
Please do come!
Hannah
To sign up to the BERG mailing list new folk must complete the form available here:
http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg
You can also use this link to unsubscribe.
SPRG meeting
Dear SPRGers and BERGers
The time has come again for SPRG to plan their annual post-Christmas gathering at The Burn in Glenesk, Angus. For those of you who are new to SPRG, the meeting is a chance for all members to get together in the beautiful surroundings of The Burn, to discuss research that is going on within our group, and of course to walk, chat, play games, eat, drink, and be (very) merry. You can find more details about the venue on their website (http://www.goodenough.ac.uk/the-burn).
We can arrive from 4pm on Friday 16th – and leave 2pm on Sunday 18th January 2015
Lizzie Webber and I shall be organising the programme and day-to-day running of the meeting.
I am delighted to say we already have an excellent programme of speakers. We already have 9 confirmed speakers, on a range of species and topics, including Prof Phyllis Lee (Stirling), and Dr Lydia Hopper from the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study & Conservation of Apes in Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, and will present on her research with chimpanzees and gorillas.
There are still some spaces for speakers, and attendees, so please sign up following the instructions below.
Michelle Young, Andy Whiten’s wonderful PA in St. Andrews, will be keeping the spreadsheet.
To make our lives easier, please make sure you reply to the right person!
The costs of staying at The Burn are heavily subsidised by the Charitable Trust, and so remain very reasonable. The prices for this year are £150 for staff (those in full time employment, and who wish to have a single occupancy room – limited availability) and £120 for students, unwaged members, and/or those who share rooms. This price includes accommodation and all meals.
I have had to pay a considerable deposit (>£1000) in order to secure our booking. To avoid unnecessary bureaucracy this year, by signing up you are confirming that you will pay £60 should you cancel after 1st December 2014, and we are unable to fill your place.
To book your place at The Burn, please let Michelle Young - my22(a)st-andrews.ac.uk<mailto:my22@st-andrews.ac.uk> - know by email that you wish to join us.
Use the subject header: The SPRG Burn meeting
Give your name:
If you prefer a single room (noting additional cost, and no promises):
Dietary requirements:
This statement “I confirm that I will pay £60 should I be unable to attend and my place is not filled”.
Places are limited, so don't miss your chance. In the first instance, bookings are restricted to members and associates of SPRG. However, should places be left unclaimed from mid November onwards, invitations will be opened up to colleagues from further afield. Reply early to avoid disappointment.
As always, there will be a series of research talks given throughout the weekend. If you are interested in giving a talk, please let HANNAH (h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk>) know. The success of the weekend depends upon you!
If you have a non-SPRG colleague whom you know would like to come and give a talk please discuss with me – we usually have one or two external folk to spice things up!
I have an extremely busy diary, and would really appreciate your cooperation in making the organisation of the SPRG Burn weekend simple.
In summary
* If you wish to come, please send Michelle your name, whether single room, dietary requirements, and the loss of deposit statement.
* If you wish to present, please send Hannah your title. Timing will depend upon number of offers, and we can negotiate.
I shall follow up with more details nearer the time.
Best wishes, Hannah, Lizzie and Michelle
Dear all,
We have an external seminar for BERG on Wednesday.
Kelly Cobey will be hosting Dr Iris Holzleitner (University of Glasgow): Women’s tuning of preferences for masculinity in 3D faces.
Meeting in the Psychology common room, 3A94, 5.30pm, drinks and nibbles as usual.
Please do come!
Hannah
To sign up to the BERG mailing list new folk must complete the form available here:
http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg
You can also use this link to unsubscribe.
Dear all
Here are links to three short videos I've been asked to publicise....
IUCN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7GQZsGmW5Y
As part of our communications and fundraising campaign to support the 50th anniversary of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, we have released a stunning video explaining the importance of The IUCN Red List as a powerful tool that drives action for nature conservation. Featuring fabulous images, the video was produced by the photographer and filmmaker Mattius Klum, who is also an IUCN Goodwill Ambassador.
More details: http://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/species/our_work/the_iucn_red_lis…
CI's Nature is Speaking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmVLcj-XKnM
World Lemur festival - http://youtu.be/cSEJ4he3QFI
Also another change to the BERG schedule (attached) - sadly Dr Katherine Herborn from Glasgow can no longer make 3rd December, so Kris Descovich will present on Macaque behaviour and welfare.
Finally, Dr Ian Peers, Global head of Statistics at AstraZeneca, who has recently been appointed as an Honorary Professor here, will also be attending BERG on 26th November, and will be happy to talk to you about any statistical issues you might raise.
Best, Hannah
Check out: New methods for monitoring and improving welfare of laboratory dogs<http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/news/policy/2014/140918-n-animal-welfate-laboratory-…>
Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith
Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group
Director of Learning and Teaching in SNS
Psychology, School of Natural Sciences
University of Stirling
Stirling, FK9 4LA
Scotland
Tel: 01786 467674
Fax: 01786 467641
E-mail: h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk>
Home page: https://rms.stir.ac.uk/converis-stirling/person/11925http://marmosetcare.com/
Seminar of interest in St Andrews this Friday (7th) at 3:30pm in the Old Library.
Dr Erica van de Waal will deliver a talk titled:
Field experiments reveal the scope of social learning in vervet monkeys
Please read below for further details....Hannah
From: Andrew Whiten [mailto:aw2@st-andrews.ac.uk]
Sent: 05 November 2014 11:28
To: Christopher Templeton; Emily Messer; McGuigan, Nicola; Patrick; Andrew Whalen; Amy Deacon; Anne Magurran; Ana Navarrete Rodriguez; Ann Smet; Alice Cowie; Amanda Lucas; Alina Loth; Amanda Seed; Andy Gardner; Kagari Aoki; Amanda Stansbury; Barbara Klump; Benjamin Turnbull; Braulio Leon-Lopez; Bethany Roberts; Cara Evans; Camille Troisi; Charlotte Brand; Charlotte Cure; Camille Coye; Clare; Catherine Hobaiter; Catharine Cross; Carolina Mayer; Christian Rutz; Carl Smith; Christopher Templeton; Cedric Zimmer; Daniel van der Post; Daphna Buchsbaum; Dan Cownden; Darren Parker; David Pritchard; David Shuker; Deborah Russell; Emma Blackburn; Eira Ihalainen; Emma-Louise Bryant; Elena Miu; Emily; Esmeralda Quiros Guerrero; Emily Burdfield-Steel; Emily Burdett; Erica van de Waal; Elisabeth Greenway; Elisabeth Greenway; Filipa Samarra; Gavin Ballantyne; Gordon Hastie; Georgina Glaser; Gillian Vale; Grant Brown; Gillian Brown; Heather Anderson; Helen Cunnold; Helene Cochet; Ida Bailey; Iain Matthews; Jefferson Graves; Jessica van der Wal; Jonathan Gordon; Jennifer Botting; James Ounsley; James St Clair; Kate Arnold; Kirsty Graham; Kalliopi-Charitomeni Gkikopoulou; Katherine Dickerson; Katherine Meacham; Kate Morgan; Keelin Murray; Kevin Laland; Kaitlin Palmer; Klaus Zuberbuhler; Lara Wood; Dollbaum, Lea Johanna; Luke Rendell; Lewis Dean; Livio Favaro; Lindsay Wilson; Luca Lamoni; Lauren Guillette; Charlotte Dunn; Liam Dougherty; Lorraine Wilson; Marina; Maria Tello Ramos; Michael Emmerson; Michael Ritchie; Michaela Roberts; Michal Arbilly; Mark Johnson; Miguel Neves Dos Reis; Murillo Pagnotta; Michelle Young; Tomoko Narazaki; Neeltje Boogert; Nicola Cook; Nora Carlson; Nigel Kenworthy; Nathan Bailey; Olga Filatova; Patricia Willmer; Patricia Arranz Alonso; Peter Slater; Puja Singh; Peter Tyack; Patrick Miller; Philip Shaw; Peter Tyack; Mara Casalini; Rebecca Boulton; Rachel Harrison; Ruoting Tao; Richard Byrne; Sarah Deventer; Sara Tavares; Susan Healy; Sumir Keenan; Sascha Hooker; Sonja Heinrich; Sarah Davis; Stacy DeRuiter; Stephanie King; Silvana Neves; Sally Street; Shoko Sugasawa; Samuel Ivande; Stuart Watson; Tilen Genov; Thomas Gotz; Verena Dietrich-Bischoff; Vincent Janik; Will Cresswell; Yannis Papastamatiou; Zachary Hall
Cc: Alexander Weiss (alex.weiss(a)ed.ac.uk); Anthony Little; Christine Caldwell; Craig Roberts; Cunningham, Clare (c.cunningham(a)abertay.ac.uk); Hannah Buchanan-Smith; Hardie, Scott (S.Hardie(a)abertay.ac.uk); James Anderson; Lusseau, David (d.lusseau(a)abdn.ac.uk); Phyllis Lee; Sarah Vick
Subject: Friday Seminar by Erica van de Waal on social learning in primates
Dear All (BDG List and SPRG Core) - I think many of you may be interested in this talk here on Friday - it will be based on the Tinbergen prize lecture Erica gave earlier at the European Conference on Behavioural Biology, but updated and expanded ...
We will go for a meal in Zizzi's at 6.30 so do please either sign up on the sheet I am putting in the Psych mail room, or email me to let me know - Andy W.
This week's Seminar will take place this Friday (7th) at 3:30pm in the Old Library.
Dr Erica van de Waal will deliver a talk titled:
Field experiments reveal the scope of social learning in vervet monkeys
Behavioural tradition has been an active topic in animal behaviour since the renowned Japanese macaque studies of half a century ago, yet controlled field experiments to clearly identify social learning in the wild began only recently. This talk describes a series of social learning experiments with our population of vervet monkeys in South Africa, which have now been studied for seven years. We follow over a hundred monkeys in several neighbouring groups.
In an experiment with wild vervet monkeys, Chlorocebus aethiops, inspired by the famous Japanese macaque food cleaning study, we found that naïve vervet monkey infants copy variations in how their mother handle sandy fruits. In a complementary study we adapted an established laboratory experimental paradigm to create 'artificial fruits' to test for copying of different actions. Earlier we demonstrated social learning from high ranking female models of which part of such a 'fruit' to forage from; now, we used a new artificial fruit ('vervetable') which can be opened either be sliding a door to the side or instead pulling it open. This thus tests for matching of the action used to access the reward inside. Pilot tests on four semi-captive vervet groups showed significant similarity to the technique initially demonstrated, both overall and on the first trial. Here we present 'vervetable' results for wild vervets, including identification of the social rules of whom to learn from and its broad implications for cultural transmission. In a further experiment, we showed experimentally that wild vervet monkeys will abandon personal foraging preferences in favour of group norms new to them. Groups first learned to avoid the bitter-tasting alternative of two foods. Presentations of these options untreated months later revealed all new infants naïve to the foods adopting maternal preferences. Moreover, males migrating between groups where the alternative food was eaten switched to the new local norm. Such powerful effects of social learning represent a more potent force than hitherto recognized in shaping group differences among wild animals. Our follow up studies have revealed that the time spent eating the local preference correlates with rank in adult females. Is it due to low ranked females being under pressure to be more exploratory? Or is it due to limited access to their preferred colour, as more dominant individuals monopolize it? We were able to test these hypotheses in our population because two group splits occurred, with three low ranking females leaving their origin group, to create their own group and became then alpha, beta and gamma in it. A significant change in foraging preference, converging on that of the previous dominant monkeys in their origin group, was observed after the group split, indicating how biased transmission may lead to population level traditions
As normal, the Seminar will be followed by an informal wine reception which all are welcome to attend.
________________________________
From: Rebecca Leonardi
Sent: 04 November 2014 13:34
To: berg(a)lists.stir.ac.uk<mailto:berg@lists.stir.ac.uk>
Subject: BERG Seminar 5th November
Dear all,
We have an external seminar for BERG on Wednesday.
We look forward to welcoming Dr Melanie Connor, a Senior Researcher at Scotland’s Rural College in Edinburgh, who will give a talk entitled: Adolescents and a ‘Duty of Care’ towards animals.
Melanie is involved in a project about promoting a duty of care towards animals among young people http://www.sruc.ac.uk/info/120243/animal_behaviour_and_welfare/1319/promoti…
Meeting in the Psychology common room, 3A94, 5.30pm, drinks and nibbles as usual.
Please do come!
Hope to see you then,
Rebecca
Rebecca Leonardi
Paws for Progress
Psychology, School of Natural Sciences
University of Stirling
Stirling, FK9 4LA
Telephone: 07875 678370
Email: rebecca.leonardi(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:rebecca.leonardi@stir.ac.uk>
www.pawsforprogress.com<http://www.pawsforprogress.com/>
To sign up to the BERG mailing list new folk must complete the form available here:
http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg
You can also use this link to unsubscribe.
Dear all
Blake Morton will give a talk on Wednesday entitled: "Psychological Convergence Between Bottlenose Dolphins and Great Apes? Insights from Personality Structure"
Psychology common room, 3A94, 5.30pm, drinks and nibbles as usual.
Please do come!
See you then I hope, Hannah
To sign up to the BERG mailing list new folk must complete the form available here:
http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg
You can also use this link to unsubscribe.
Recently launched: http://marmosetcare.com/
Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith
Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group Psychology, School of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling, FK9 4LA Scotland
Tel: 01786 467674
Fax: 01786 467641
E-mail: h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk>
Home page: https://rms.stir.ac.uk/converis-stirling/person/11925
Dear all
Just in case you were working from the old programme, I'd just like to let you know of two changes:
1) Blake Morton will be speaking on a different topic next week - now he will present on "Psychological Convergence Between Bottlenose Dolphins and Great Apes? Insights from Personality Structure"
2) We also have a change to the 10 December slot - now we have Liz Williamson who will talk about the "State of the Apes"
The BERG pages will be updated in due course.
Best, Hannah
Recently launched: http://marmosetcare.com/
Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith
Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group
Psychology, School of Natural Sciences
University of Stirling
Stirling, FK9 4LA
Scotland
Tel: 01786 467674
Fax: 01786 467641
E-mail: h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk>
Home page: https://rms.stir.ac.uk/converis-stirling/person/11925
Dear all
Vicky Fishlock has just been in and whispered to me that she has laryngitis and is therefore unable speak at BERG on Wednesday on elephants,
We shall go back to Plan A, and do introductions, and I'll give a Rwenzori mountain holiday Pecha Kucha!
24th September, 3A94, 5.30pm, drinks and nibbles as usual.
Please do come so we can all meet the new folk and start to get to know each other.
See you then I hope, Hannah
If you have new students who might wish to be on the BERG mailing list, please send them this e-mail. To sign up to the BERG mailing list new folk must complete the form available here:
http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg
You can also use this link to unsubscribe.
Recently launched: http://marmosetcare.com/
Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith
Professor, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group
Psychology, School of Natural Sciences
University of Stirling
Stirling, FK9 4LA
Scotland
Tel: 01786 467674
Fax: 01786 467641
E-mail: h.m.buchanan-smith(a)stir.ac.uk<mailto:h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk>
Home page: https://rms.stir.ac.uk/converis-stirling/person/11925
--
The University of Stirling has been ranked in the top 12 of UK universities for graduate employment*.
94% of our 2012 graduates were in work and/or further study within six months of graduation.
*The Telegraph
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.
Fyi - as BERG is sponsored by UFAW
From: Stephen Wickens [mailto:wickens@ufaw.org.uk]
Sent: 07 October 2014 13:55
To: 'Stephen Wickens'
Subject: UFAW LINK - news of three awards and the AWSS meeting
Dear Colleague,
This email is to notify you that UFAW is now seeking applications for its Animal Welfare Student Scholarships (AWSS) for 2015. Similarly HSA is seeking applications for its Dorothy Sidley scholarships. Please also note that this year the AWSS meeting is being held at Newcastle University on 3rd December.
In addition, UFAW is seeking applications for the UFAW Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Animal Welfare Science and UFAW Young Animal Welfare Scientist of the Year Award. Previous winners of the former include Professor Marian Stamp-Dawkins, Professor John Webster and Professor Peter Sandøe, the latter Dr Lisa Collins, Dr Charlotte Burn and Dr Nuno Franco.
Further details of each can be found in the attached press releases and on our website: http://www.ufaw.org.uk/news.php
I'd be grateful if you could draw the attention of the staff and students at your institution to these.
Thank you.
Steve
Dr Stephen Wickens
Universities Federation for Animal Welfare
The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Herts AL4 8AN, UK
Email: wickens(a)ufaw.org.uk<mailto:wickens@ufaw.org.uk>
Direct Tel: +44(0)1276 500880
Office: +44(0)1582 831818 (tel), 831414 (fax)
www.ufaw.org.uk
Registered Charity No 207996 (Registered in England) and Company Limited by Guarantee No 579991
The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) is an independent registered UK charity that works to develop and promote improvements in the welfare of all animals through scientific and educational activity worldwide.
Science in the service of animal welfare